Metal railroad-tie.



W. W. MEGHLING & j. E. SMITH.

METAL RAILROAD TIE.

' APPLIOATION IIL'GD NOV. 17, 1908.

Patented July 20, 1,909.

UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

WILLIAM W. MECHLIN G, OF MUNI-IALL, AND JACOB E. SMITH, 0F HOMESTEA D, PEN h SYLVAN 1a.

METAL RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed November 17, 1908. Serial No. 462,993.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, WILLIAM W. Muen- LING and JACOB E. SltIIfIH CltlZen S of the United States, and residing at Munhall and. Homestead, respectively, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a MetalRailroad-Tie, of which the and com. aratively cheap in construction,- and 111 w 1011 the integral parts or members thereof are so disposed as to give the required ground bearing or grip in the road-bed so that the tie will be rigidly held and thereby firmly support the rails.

A further object of our invention to provide a metal tie with means for supporting the rails'in connection therewith, such means in the present instance serving not only to insulate the rails in the same thorough manner as the ordinary wooden ties, but also provide a similar bearing for said. rails.

A further obj ect of our invention is to provide an improved form of rail fastening means, whereby the rails are securely held in place upon the tie and possibility of lateral movement or. displacement reduced to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will hereinafter appear, and what we claim as new in the art, and desire to protect by Letters-Patent, is more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanyin drawings, which. form a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a metal railroad tie, showing the construction of the tie. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of one end of the tie, including the means for supporting and fastening a railroad-rail thereon. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Fig.6 is a detail plan view, showing a slight modification of the rail supporting and fastening devices. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating a second modification of the rail supporting and fastening devices. v

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying out our invention the tie is made from a metal bar or beam T-shape in cross-section disposed with the lateral flanges 7 lowermost to form the base portion of the tie, and the vertical flange 8 rising from said lateral base flanges to fo m the upper portion or body of the tie; said T-beam being bent u )OIl itself at its ends in the form of loops 9, which latter increase the bearing capacity of the tie and provide the means for connecting thereto the rail sup 'iorting andv fastening device's hereinafter described. For the purpose of bending the l"-hea1nto form the end loops 9 it is necessary to cut away one of the base flanges 7 for a short distance, as shown in Fig. 2, said flange being cut away at the innerside of the connecting portion of each loop. By constructing a metal tie from a T-beam, as herein shown and described, we are able to produce a very light metal tie having sufliciont bearing surfaces foxellicient engagement with. the road-bed, 1nasmuch as the loops at the ends, with the opposite base flanges thereof, increase the bearing qualities at those points where needed and without adding materially to the weight of the tie.

For the purpose of supporting the railroadrails in connection with the metaltie hereinbefore described we employ wooden blocks 10, of such shape as to fit within the loops and rest upon the imvardly-pro3eating base flanges 7 thereof, and of such length as to project only a slight distance beyond the end of the free member of the loop. These blocks are preferably of such height as to project a short distance above the upper edge of the metal tie, to thereby locate the railroad rails, 11, as well as the bracing-plates, hereinafter described, away from said tie for the purpose of insulation. In some 111- stancos therails 11 may be supported directly upon the wooden blocks, and spiked thereto in the usual manner, but in order to fasten the rail more securely fasten said rails, and prevent lateral movement or spreading of the same, we employ in. connection with each block a metal plate 12, which is placed upon. the block below the rail 11 and is provided at its inner end with a lip 12 turned downwardly to engage the inner end of said block and prevent movement of the plate toward the end of the tie. This plate is provided with holes through which the spikes 13 pass, and is also provided with a rib or flange 14, disposed at the outer edge of the base flange of the railroad rail, whereby said plate, in corn nection with the spikes, firmly and securely and thoroughly brace the same against outward movement. The wooden blocks are rigidly secured within the loops of the metal'tie by means of bolts 15, though, of-cou'rse, other fastening means may he en'iployed for the purpose.

In Fig. 6 we have shown a slight modification of the wooden block and bracing plate. In this instance the inner end of the wooden block, 16, is beveled, and the inner end of the bracing-plate 17 having the downwardly-extending engaging Ii 1 is correspondingly shaped, whereby said p ate may be adjusted longitudinally to increase or diminish the gage between. the rails. In making this adjustment the plate 17 is moved laterally so that the engaging li thereon will travel upon the beveled end o the. block and move said plate longitudinally. If desired the wooden block may be provided with a trans- ,verse recess or saw-kerhas 18, for the engagement of the lip, instead of having said lip project down the inner end of the block, inasmuch as in the latter instance it may enter the earth or material in. which the tie is embedded and thus affect the insulation of the rails. In this modification the bracing plate is also provided with the engaging rib or flange, as 19, and with holes 20 for the spikes, as in the other form of bracing plate.

As a further modification the downwardlyprojecting end or lip ofthe bracing-plate may be in the form of a sharpened point or spur, as 21 (Fig. 7), so as to be driven into the block, as shown in Fig. 8, and in this instance the plate is shorter to provide that the said point or spur will enter the block a suitable distance from the inner end thereof. In each instance, therefore, the bracing plate is provided with an integral portion adapted to engage the block to prevent outward movement of said plate and consequently outward movement of the rail supported thereon,

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawin s, it will be seen that we provide a com ined metal and wood railroad tie of the required strength and bearing capacity, and possessing greater durability than an ordinary wooden tie with the many advantages inbeam bentupon itself at its ends forming loops having opposite base flanges-and ver tical walls rising therefrom, 'blocks secured within base flanges thereof, and the rails upon the blocks. v

3. A metal railroad tie having loops formed at the ends thereofan'd inwardly projecting flanges at the lower sides-of the loops, blocks secured within the loops and resting-upon the inwardly-projecting flanges thereof, and

the loops and resting upon the inner means for securmg means for securing the rails upon the blocks.

4. A metal railroad tie having loops formed at the ends thereof and inwardly-projecting flanges of the lower sides of the loo' s, wooden blocks within the loops and seated u on the inwardly-projecting flanges thereo bolts fastening theblocks to the loops, and means for securing the rails upon the blocks.

. 5. A metal railroad tie, comprising a-T- beam'bent upon itself at its-endsforming loops having opposite base flanges and vertical walls rising therefrom, jwooden'blocks secured within the loo s and'seated upon the inner base flanges tiereof, plates on the blocks to receive the rails each having alateral flange or rib bearing a ain'st the rail, and means for securing the rai s and plates upon the blocks. I

6. A metal railroadtie, comprising a T- beam bent upon itselfat its ends to form loops having inwardly projecting base flanges, wooden blocks secured within the loops and seated u on the inWardlyrojecting base-flanges, p ates on the bloc having a flange or rib engaging the rail and a lip engaging the block, and means, as spikes, for securing the rails and plates upon theblocks.

7. A metal railroad tie, comprising a T- beam bent u on itself at its ends forming loops having ase-flanges, wooden blocks secured within the 100 s and seated u on the inwardly projecting ase flanges, p ates'on the blocks to receive the rails each having a flange or rib engaging the rail'and a de ending lip engaging the inner end ofthe lock, and means, as spikes, foasecuring the rails and plates on the blocks.

8. A metal railroad tie, comprising. a beam bent upon itself at its ends forming loops having lateral base flanges, wooden bloc s secured within the loops and seated upon the each I inwardly projecting base flanges, said blocks In testimony whereof yve haye signed our beingbeveled laterally at their lnner ends, names to this specification in the presence (if 10 Elates on the blocks to receive the reds each two subseribin Witnesses.

aving a rib or flange engaging the rail and ILLIAM W. MECHLING. 5 a 1i engaging the beveled end of the block JACOB E. SMITH.

an means, as's ikes, for securing thera'ils Witnesses y and plates on t e blocks, substantially as Jenn] J. CAVANAUGH.

herein'shown and described. JAMES I'LSTARK. 

